Folding desk and seat



Nov. 21, 1950 L. J. RoccA 2,530,785

FOLDING DESK AND SEAT Filed Feb. 15, 1946 Leb fRo ca l.

V QMZW Patented Nov. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to collapsible furniture and more particularly to a seat combined with a desk or table in a unitary manner, the entire structure being capable of :being quickly opened to an upright position for use as a desk or table and being adapted to be readily folded into a compact package for storing when not in use.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel unitary seat and desk construction which is so constituted that it may be quickly folded into a, compact unit which occupies very little space.

Another object of the invention comprehends a folding seat and desk construction which is so arranged as to be capable of being opened in a simple manner and without the necessity of resorting to the manipulation of auxiliary locking devices.

A further object includes the provision of a novel and unitary construction of the above character which embodies a plurality of parts which are pivotally connected together in such fashion that the arrangement may be quickly opened or folded by the application of a minimum of effort.

A still further object resides in providing a relatively simple construction of the above type which includes front and rear supports, a seat and a table or desk top, these parts being arranged so that when folded, one of the supports is received within the plane of the other While the top and seat are folded against opposite sides of the nested supports.

Still another object includes a novel arrangement of parts in a construction of the above type which is capable of being manufactured at a relatively low cost and which is highly efficient in operation.

Other objects and novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein one embodiment of the invention is illustrated. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is utilized for purposes of illustration only and is not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this latter purpose to the claims appended hereto.

Referring to the drawing, wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a folding seat and desk construction embodying the principles of the present invention Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the construction of Fig. 1 taken along line 22 of the latter;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the construction of Fig. l in folded position;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the plate attached to the under side of the desk top and illustrates the manner of adjusting the position of said to and Fig. 5 is a, perspective View of one of the angle brackets with which the forward portion of the seat cooperates.

Referring more particularly to Fig. l, a uni tary folding seat and desk construction embodying the principles of the present invention is illustrated therein in open position for use, and includes front and rear supports Ill and I2 respectively, a seat l4 and a table or desk top IS, the latter being capable of being adjusted to various angles, as will appear more fully hereinafter.

In order to provide an unusually compact construction when the apparatus is folded, the front support I!) comprises a pair of spacedapart legs 18 and 20, to which rear legs 22 and 24 are respectively pivoted as by means of suitable pivot pins or bolts 26 and 28. It will be noted that the pivotal connections between the rear and front legs are spaced a slight distance below the upper ends of the front legs, this distance being preferable such as to permit the top 16 to be adjusted to a substantially vertical position so that the device may be used in the nature of a black board or easel, if desired. It will also be noted that the rear legs 22 and 24 are pivoted to the inner sides of the forward legs l8 and 20, this construction permitting the rear legs to be arranged in the plane of the front legs when the device is folded, as illustrated in Fig. 3. This latter construction also allows the rear legs to be positioned relatively close together so as not to interfere with the legs of the user when seated on the seat l4 facing the top l6, while still maintaining the desired degree of stability. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this construction, since the rear legs 22 and 24 may be pivoted to the outer faces of the legs I8 and 20, if desired. As shown, the front legs l8 and 20 are secured together adjacent their lower ends by a support member 30, while a rod or other suitable member 32 secures the lower portions of the rear legs 22 and 24' together.

' A novel arrangement is employed by the present invention for associating the seat M with the parts heretofore described, in such a manner as to materially facilitate opening of the apparatus and to present an unusually compact structure when folded. In the form of the invention illustrated, such arrangement includes a pivot member or block 34 to which the seat 14 is secured, as by means of screws 35, the said block being provided with suitable bearing pins 38 which are rotatably mounted within openings provided in the legs 22 and 24. In order to lock the seat in the open position shown in Fig. l and to guide the same during the folding operation, the front portion of the seat is provided with a pair of screws or headed pins 49, disposed on opposite sides of the seat and received and guided within generally vertically extending slots 42, 44 of the respective brackets 45 and 48. These latter are mounted at their upper portions on the respective pivot pins 26 and 28 and each bracket is provided with a laterally projecting flange 50 which is secured to the front face of each of the front legs i8 and 23 as by means of screws, not shown. Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and the lower ends of the slots 42 and 4'4 in the respective brackets 45 and 48 are formed to provide latching parts which are directed forwardly and upwardly. As shown particularly i Fig. 5, the upper ends of the lower extremities of each slot are directed upwardly at 52 in order to form a locking lug or tongue 54. By such an arrangement, when the apparatus is assembled, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the screws 4e are locked in the portions 52 against accidental displacement and possible collapse of the apparatus when the latter is in use. It will be observed from Figs. 1 and 5 that the flanges 5t and the main body portions of the brackets and 4B are so constructed that when the rear legs are folded within the front legs, each of the rear legs is disposed between an adjacent front leg and the main body portion of the bracket secured to such adjacent front leg.

In order to adjustably mount the top I6 on the front support H], a novel bracket construction 56, secured to the under side of the top as by means of screws 58, is provided the same including a pair of downwardly extending ears 6i! and 62 which are respectively connected to the upper ends of the legs l8 and by pivot pins or bolts 64 and 66. For the purpose of locking the top It in any desired position of adjustment, the ear B2 is enlarged, see Fig. 4, to provide an arcuate slot 68 for receiving a locking bolt 74. A wing nut 72 cooperates with the bolt 70 to secure the top in position after the desired angularity of the latter has been secured.

With the device set up as illustrated in Fig. 1, it will be apparent that the top may be readily adjusted to any position desired by the user seated upon the seat M. For example, the top may be arranged horizontally for use as a card or utility table, or may be tilted at any convenient angle. Since the top i6 is preferably constructed of wood, it may be used as a drawing board and the drawing paper afiixed thereto by the usual thumb tacks. In a position approaching the vertical, the top may be used as an easel or in the manner of a black board. It will be observed that the weight of the user maintains the screws 48 within the upper portions 52 of the slots and thus the entire construction is rigidly braced against folding or collapse.

In folding the device, the wing nut 12 should be first loosened in order to fold the top l6 against the forward legs, and thereafter tightened to ma n ain the top firml position. Thereaf er.

it is only necessary to grasp the upper portion of the top I6 in one hand and move the seat upwardly with the other hand to bring the screws 49 to the lower extremities of the slots 42 and 44, and then press downwardly on the seat in order to pivot the latter about the pivot pins 38. During this latter movement, the screws 4!] will travel upwardly in the slots 42 and 44, and the parts will finally assume the compact folded position shown in Fig. 3, where the rear support 24 is nested within the front support ID and the seat I4 is parallel to and folded against these parts.

When it is desired to open the device for use, the seat I4 and top H; are grasped as heretofore, and the seat lifted in order to pivot the latter about the pivot pins 38 and move the screws 40 to the lower ends of the slots 42 and 44. Thereafter the device is tilted upwardly about the front legs I8 and 2!] whereupon the screws 45) will automatically move into the portions 52 of the slots and be locked therein. The top i6 may then be adjusted to the desired position and locked therein by the wing nut construction heretofore described.

There has thus been provided by the present invention a novel unitary foldable seat and desk construction which is susceptible of a wide variety of uses, and which may be readily set up and folded with a minimum of effort. When in folded condition, the device is exceedingly compact and only occupies about the same space as the conventional folding card table. The unit is especially adaptable for use by children, but it is to be understood that the same may be constructed in various sizes for a considerable number of purposes.

While one form of the invention has been shown and described herein with considerable particularity, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, that various changes and rearrangements of the constituent parts thereof may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention. Reference will therefore be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A folding seat and desk apparatus comprising a front support, a rear support, said front support being wider than the rear support, means to pivotally connect the upper end of the rear support to the front support at a point spaced downwardly from the upper end of the front support, an elongated seat, means to pivotally connect the seat between its ends to the rear support at a point spaced downwardly from the upper end thereof, said seat having a forward part extending toward the front support, means carried by the front support for latching said seat in a horizontal position and maintaining said supports in a predetermined angular relationship, said means including a pair of brackets, each provided with a generally vertically extending slot having a generally upwardly and forwardly extending slot portion forming a latching part of the slot at its lower end, said latching means when unlatched, allowing the seat to be tilted downwardly against the rear support and the rear support to be nested within the front support, and a desk top pivotally mounted at the upper end of the front support for desired angular adjustment with respect to a user seated on the seat and facing said top, the latter being capable of being front s ppor 2. A folding seat and desk apparatus comprising front and rear supports, each including a pair of spaced-apart legs, the upper ends of the rear legs being pivoted to the front legs at points spaced downwardly from the upper ends thereof, and one pair of legs being spaced apart a greater distance than the other pair of legs so that one pair may nest within the other pair when folded together, a seat extending between the rear legs and pivoted thereto, said seat having an enlarged seat part extending rearwardly of the rear legs and a forward part extending toward the front legs, means carried by the front legs and cooperating with said forward part for latching the seat in a horizontal position and maintaining the front and rear supports in a predetermined angular relationship, said means including a pair of brackets, each provided with a generally vertically extending slot having a generally upwardly and forwardly extending slot portion forming a latching part of the slot at its lower end, said seat when unlatched being adapted to be tilted downwardly to engage the rear portions of the rear legs and to become substantially parallel with the latter and to allow the rear legs to be folded into nesting relationship with the front legs, and a desk top pivotally secured to the upper ends of the front legs for angular adjustment with respect to a user seated on said seat part and facing said top, the latter being adapted to be tilted forwardly to engage the forward portions of the front legs when the seat is unlatched and the apparatus is folded.

3. A folding seat and desk apparatus comprising a front support, a rear support, said front support being wider than the rear support, means to pivotally connect the upper end of the rear support to the front support at a point spaced downwardly from the upper end of the front support, an elongated seat, means to pivotally conneot the seat between its ends to the rear support at a point spaced downwardly from the upper end thereof, said seat having a forward part extending toward the front support, means carried by the front support and interlocked at all times with said forward part for latching the seat in a horizontal position when the apparatus is assembled, and for guiding the forward part in a predetermined path when the latter is unlatched and the apparatus is folded to bring the seat against the rear support and the latter within the front support, said means including a pair of brackets, each provided with a generally vertically extending slot having a generally upwardly and forwardly extending slot portion forming a latching part of the slot at its lower end, and a desk top pivotally mounted at the upper end of the front support for desired angular adjustment with respect to a user seated on the seat and facing said top, the latter being capable of being tilted downwardly against the front portion of the front support.

4. A folding seat and desk apparatus comprising front and rear supports, each including a pair of spaced-apart legs, the upper ends of the rear legs being pivoted to the front legs at points spaced downwardly from the upper ends thereof, and one pair of legs being spaced apart a greater distance than the other pair of legs so that one pair may nest within the other pair when folded together, a seat extending between the rear legs and pivoted thereto, said seat having an enlarged seat part extending rearwardly of the rear legs and a forward part extending toward the front legs, means carried by the front legs and interlocked at all times with said forward part and including a pair of brackets, each of which is provided with a generally vertically extending slot having a generally upwardly and forwardly extending slot portion forming a latching part of the slot at its lower end for latching the seat in a horizontal position and for maintaining the front and rear supports in a predetermined angular relationship when the apparatus is assembled, the generally vertically extending slots in said brackets guiding the forward part in a predetermined path when the latter is unlatched, to allow the seat to be tilted downwardly to engage the rear portions of the rear legs and to become substantially parallel with the latter and to allow the rear legs to be folded into nesting relationship with the front legs, and a desk top pivotally secured to the upper ends of the front legs for angular adjustment with respect to a user seated on said seat part and facing said top, the latter being adapted to be tilted forwardly to engage the forward portions of the front legs when the seat is unlatched and the apparatus is folded.

5. A folding seat and desk apparatus comprising a front support, a rear support, each of said supports having a pair of spaced apart legs, the legs of said front support being spaced wider apart than the legs of the rear support, means to pivotally connect the upper ends of the legs of the rear support to the legs of the front support at a point spaced downwardly from the upper end of the front support, an elongated seat, means to pivotally connect the seat between the legs of the rear support at a point spaced downwardly from the upper end thereof, said seat having a forward part extending toward and between the legs of the front support, a pair of brackets carried by the front support, each bracket having a plate positioned adjacent the inner side of each leg of the rear support provided with a generally vertically extending slot having a generally upwardly and forwardly extending slot portion forming a latching part of the slot, a pair of guide pins carried by said forward part cooperating with said slots and adapted to be latched in the latching parts of said slots to maintain the seat in a horizontal position and to maintain said supports in a predetermined angular relationship and adapted also, when unlatched, to allow the seat to be moved against the rear support, and the legs of the rear support to be nested within the legs of the front support, and a desk top pivotally mounted at the upper end of the front support for desired angular adjustment with respect to a user seated on the seat and facing said top, the latter being capable of being tilted downwardly against the front portion of the front support.

6. A folding seat and desk apparatus comprising front and rear supports, each including a pair of spaced-apart legs, the upper ends of the rear legs being pivoted to the front legs at points spaced downwardly from the upper ends thereof, and one pair of legs being spaced apart a greater distance than the other pair of legs so that one pair may nest within the other pair when folded together, a seat extending between the rear legs and pivoted thereto, said seat having an enlarged seat part extending rearwardly of the rear legs and a forward part extending toward and between the front legs, slotted brackets carried by the front legs and cooperating with pins carried by said forward part, each bracket being provided with a generally vertically extending slot having a. generally upwardly and forwardly extending slot portion forming a latching part of the slot at its lower end for latching the seat in a horizontal position and maintaining the front and rear supports in a predetermined angular relationship, said seat when unlatched from said latching parts being adapted to be tilted downwardly to engage the rear portions of the rear legs and to become substantially parallel with the latter and to allow the rear legs to be folded into nesting relationship with the front legs, and a desk top pivotally secured to the upper ends of the front legs for angular adjustment with respect to a user seated on said seat part and facing said top, the latter being adapted to be tilted forwardly to engage the forward portions of the front legs when the seat is unlatched and the apparatus is folded.

7. A folding seat and desk apparatus comprising a front support, a rear support, means pivotally connecting the upper end of the rear support to the front support adjacent the upper end of the latter, an elongated seat, means pivotally connecting said seat intermediate its ends to said rear support, a pair of brackets carried by the front support, each being provided with a generally vertically extending slot having a generally upwardly and forwardly extending slot portion forming a latching part of a slot at its lower end, a pair of guide pins carried by the front end of said seat and cooperating with said slots, said seat being maintained in a horizontal position when said pins occupy the latching parts of said slots and the front end of the seat being guided downwardly and then upwardly by the cooperation between said pins and said slots during pivotal movement of the seat when unlatched, and a desk top pivotally mounted at the upper end of the front support and adapted to be folded into contact with the forward portion of the front support.

LEO J. ROCCA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,082,997 Braasch Dec. 30, 1913 1,557,541 Lynch Oct. 13, 1925 1,838,846 Laursen Dec. 29, 1931 2,381,574 Clarin Aug. 7, 1945 2,406,305 Maurer Aug. 20, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 7,784 Austria June 10, 1902 

